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Dubh
My child, avoid the Dubh like the plague they are; a curse they are upon our race. - Traditional Dwarven admonition The Dubh '''or '''the Exiled were the few dwarves who fought (or were rumored to have fought) under Sauron and sometimes allied with the Orcs. There may have been some from every dwarven house except that of Durin (Longbeards) at least in Second Age if not earlier. There was some rumoured to come from the North, petty-dwarves cast off from their Houses to dwell in the Under-deep of Angmar who swore allegiance to Sauron. They call him Usul, the Great God in the Dubhen tongue. The term may also refer to those dwarves from the Far East who were viewed with suspicion and viewed as evil or influenced by the Shadow by others (due to gossip, rumors, stories, etc), though most of these were actually on the side of good or at least neutral. The 'treacherous Dwarves' also appear in the Beren and Lúthien. Background All dwarves had been created by Aulë, who was said to have been a devoted apprentice to Mairon, unlike Him, he had remained faithful to Eru Illuvatar. He designed the race to be the most resistant to corruption and influence of Sauron. They were designed in their father's own image as creators and workers of the earth and stone, but were also like and unlike Elves and Men. But they were also stubborn and fast in friendship and emnity; there would always be strife between the children of Aulë, and those of Illuvatar. In particular there was hostility between the Elves and the Dwarves, though dwarves are not naturally evil and not necessarily hostile. Because of their unyielding resistance, the seven Rings of Power of the Dwarves did not turn them to evil but it did amplify their greed and lust for gold which was evil enough. It is said that very few willfully served the side of darkness. Of those who did very little was written. First Age It is suggested that of the dwarves that turned to wickedness (in first and later ages), they most likely came from the Northern or Eastern kindreds of the Dwarves of the far mansions (and perhaps some of the nearer ones), each closest to the two strongholds of the Dark Lord. Some of these may have even awakened under the Shadow of Sauron and turned to evil, in a similar way as the eastern Men did later. The dwarves were naturally a warlike race and they would fight fiercely against whomsoever aggrieved them: servants of Sauron or Eldar, or Avari, or wild beasts, or not seldom their own kin, Dwarves of other mansions and lordships. At the time of the awakening the dwarves had awoken in four principal locations (in the west this included Ered Lindon, and Mount Gundabad). The other two places were the dwarves awakened were further east (at distances as great or greater than distance between the first two locations). These eastern dwarves included; the Ironfists and Stiffbeards, and that of the Blacklocks and Stonefoots, respectively. However though the four places of awakening were sundered; the various kindreds still kept communication, and in early ages often held assemblies of delegates at Mount Gundabad. It is known that even the most distant would send help to any of their people in times of need (as was the case in the great War against the Orcs during the Third Age). Which suggests that not all the far eastern Dwarves had fallen under the Shadow. During this time there came the Petty-Dwarves to Beleriand long before the return of Morgoth. They had been exiled from the places of awakening to the east. The great Dwarves despised the Petty-Dwarves, who it was said were descendents of dwarves who had been driven out from the Communities, being slothful and rebellious,their degradent, misshapen thoughts corrupting their bodies. They began to call themselves the Dubh meaning "Exiled", though they were named only khiz, the diminutive form of khazad by the great houses. Some have theorized this translated to "petty" in the common tongue of that age, though no proper dwarf would confirm such. They were masterless and few in number, and took to the ways of stealth. They were a selfish and self-serving lot who were willing to betray others if it meant saving their own lives (unlike most Dwarves in general). They were known to keep to stealth, darkness, and night. It is said they differed from normal dwarves in various ways: they were smaller, far more unsociable, and they freely gave away their names: other dwarves kept their Khuzdul names and language a secret. Because of this, they began to lose the knowledge of the language as each dwarf grew older, and so Dubhen evolved in its place. Not long after the Eldar had come to Beleriand, they only became aware of the existence of the Dubh when they were attacked at night, or when the elves caught them alone in the wild places. They were thought to be only some kind of cunning-two legged animals living in caves, and began to hunt them. But this ended after elves became acquainted with the great Dwarves. It was Úri I, King of the Firebeards, who condemned Gil-Galad to his face for the Elves' cruel sport with the lives of their poor kin, and Gil-Galad humbled himself to ask forgiveness for the slight. The Elves henceforth left the remaining Dubh-dwarves alone, but their number had dwindled drastically. It is said there were no emnity when the elves first encountered the dwarves, but there was no great love between them either. The dwarves were fast in friendship and also in enmity. They aided the elves greatly in their war with the Orcs of Sauron;though the Noldor believed that some of that folk would not have been loath to smithy also for the Dark Lord, had he been in need of their work or open to their trade. For buying and selling and exchange were their delight, and the winning of wealth thereby; and this they gathered rather to hoard than to use, save in further trading. The great Dwarves still acknowledged their kinship and had resented the injuries done to their lesser kin the Petty-dwarves. It was one of great Dwarves grievances against the Eldar that they had hunted and slain their kin, who had settled in Beleriend before the elves came there. But this was set aside in consideration of the plea that the Dubh had never declared themselves to the Eldar, nor presented any claims to land or habitations, but had at once attacked the newcomers in darkness and ambush. However, because the Great Dwarves despised their lesser kin, some say they had no compunction in helping the elves in ousting their brethren from Nargothrond especially for great reward. They hated the Eldar and Orcs with equal passion, and the Exiles most of all; for the Noldar later took their lands; including Norgothond and caused the end of their race. By this time there were few of them surviving, and they were very wary and too fearful to attack any Elf, unless their hiding places were approached to closely. In time the race dwindled until there was only Mim and his two sons left. After his son, Khim had been killed by Turin and his outlaws, Mim convinced them to spare his own life, and lead them to his home. There he cursed Androg, the one who had fired the arrow killing his son to die if he ever fired another arrow, and he also wished the deaths or hard life of any who took his things and put him into bondage. He took a liking (or at least respect) to Turin; and this increased after Mim learned that the Man had previously had trouble with the elves whom the dwarf detested. But Turin ever admonished Mim whenever he mentioned his hatred of the Eldar. And Mim spied on the men from shadowy corners or a doorways of his home when they thought him elsewhere. He made them uneasy, they began speaking only in whispers. When Beleg came into his home and stayed, Mim's hatred for the elves grew ever greater (he and his last son began sit in the deepest shadows of his house, speaking to none). During this time Andred's curse took form, but Beleg healed his wound. Mim's hatred burned ever fiercer for his curse had been undone (but he vowed that the curse would bite again). Secondly he was denied Lembas (which he believed would restore his youth), and since he could not steal it, he feigned sickness and begged it of his enemy. But the elf refused him and the seal was set upon his hatred of the elf, and all the more because the elf was loved by Turin. He ever looked on with jealousy for the love Turin bore to Beleg. Mim was aware of the presence of Orcs in the lands about Amon Rûdh, and the hatred that he bore to Beleg led in resolve in his darkened heart to an evil resolve to betray the company. One day he claimed he and his son Ibun were going out to find roots for the winter store, he really sought to seek out the servants of Sauron to lead to Turn's hiding place (another tale suggests that Mim did not encounter the orcs with deliberate intent, but rather that the capture of his son and their threat to torture that led Mim to treachery). After he and his son had found or had been captured by orcs, he laid out his conditions to the Orcs. Thus Mim gave the Orcs his demands that they pay him in weight in iron each man they caught or slew, but for Turin and Beleg he wanted gold. That once his house was ride of the outlaws, it be left to him, and he would be unmolested. He wanted Beleg left behind and bound for Mim to have his way with, and Turin to be left to go free. For the second time he promised to lead the Orcs back to his home in order to save his own life. Some versions of the tale omit the part that the Orcs threatened to keep Ibun hostage to make sure Mim kept his part of the bargain though they themselves had little intent to keep it; Thus Mim thought at first tried to back out of it, but they had his son and so he was obliged to lead them to his home. After Mim guided them to his home in the middle of the night. many of Turin's men were killed unawares, slain as they slept. Some tales suggest that Turin and Beleg and their watchers saw Mim and the orcs before they even reached the threshold of the dwarven home. They and others escaped to the hidden stair leading to the top of the hill, some were shot down trying to escape the steps leading up to the top the hill. Those above fought the orcs and died; only Turin escaped or rather as some tales say he was captured and bound and carried off. It was here on the top of the hill that Androg fell, finally slain by Mim's treacherous curse. Beleg had also fallen, or as in other tales he had been captured and bound and laid on the ground with wrists and ankles tied to iron pins driven to the rock. After which the orcs defiled the dwarf's home. Mim hid in the caves, and after they departed he went up the stairs. Some tales suggest that in hatred Mim attempted to steal Beleg's sword from the fallen elf, preparing to kill Beleg who had fallen but who not died, but the elf resisted, the elf declared that the house of Hador would take vengeance on the dwarf. Other versions the dwarf went before Beleg unmoving and prostrate and gloated over him with a sharp knife. Androg who lay dying from Mim's curse seized a sword (perhaps Beleg's) and was the one who thrust at Mim, and with his last strength freed the elf from his bonds (but his injuries could not be healed by the elf, and Mim had his way). From whomever the slash came from, Mim fled in terror before he himself could be killed. Following departure of Glaurung and death of Túrin Turambar, Mim found his way to Nargothrond, and took possession of the ruined halls; in greed he fingered the gold and gems; letting them run through his hands. He was left alone for people feared the spirit of Glaurung and his very memory. That was until the coming of Húrin, Turin's father who in vengeance came to slay the dwarf. Though Mim in fear besought mercy, he was slain on the spot before the doors of Nargothrond. The house of Hador had been avenged for Mîm's treachery and deceit. Thus ended one of the earliest accounts of Dubh who had made alliances with orcs and goblins, though the union had been unfriendly and treacherous. However, there, some say, the curse that Mîm laid upon the gold at his death ‘came upon the possessors in this wise. The treasure of Nargothrond (some say it was half the treasure or only the Nauglamir) was brought Doriath (Atanor), where eventually the gold was a reason for the Sack of Doriath and the death of Thingol, and soon after the Dwarves of Nogrod. The dark curse filled the Elven house with for a lust for gold and unwillingness to lose any of their treasures. The greed affected even Thingol. The dwarves from Nogrod (Broadbeams) who had smithed for the elven king came to the king for payment, but the curse had also affected them and they also lusted for the gold, the Necklace of the Dwarves, and the Silmaril. Thingol in his paranoia was emboldened to insult the dwarves, but the dwarves under influence of the curse chose to murder him and sack Doriath. They were later destroyed by the Green-elves in retaliation on their return back from Doriath, and Naugladur, Lord of Nogrod was killed, and the Necklace was lost. Of these actions the Dwarves of Belegost, the Longbeards chose to protest and resist their plans; though their counsel was not taken by the Broadbeams. Úri II, son of Naugladur, saw the evil of their deeds and cursed Mîm and all the Dubh for his wickesness that led the Broadbeams, the people of his mother, to their destruction, and he would not bear the presence of gold or jewels in his house. These actions by the Dubh had future repercussions in later ages in that Dwarves and Elves maintained a distrust for each other and in some cases hatred for each other and had other wars between them. Though this distrust is known to have mainly have affected the Longbeards in latter times. Both sides blamed the other for starting it. A series of wicked actions shared among a few dwarves and a few elves had ruined relations for future generations. Dubhen Dubhen is a bastardization of Khuzdul that favors harsher inflections. Word examples include: * ''Rholig ''- mace * ''Guglakaj ''- Elf (Darkenbane) * ''Ormiusul ''- Nazgul (Servant of God) * ''Miga ''- Dwarf * ''Th’narga ''- Gondor * ''Aodin ''- King * ''Uthase - ''Rohan * ''Voni’l ''- Orc Category:Dwarves Category:Servants of Evil Category:Servants of Sauron Category:Servants of Saruman Category:Servants of Morgoth